Yesterday, I wrote about what might be the right question to ask on experience. There are Two
The first question is: Are we working with savvy professionals or beginners? (Do they have startup experience?)
This question can be broken down further:
Do they understand the commitments needed to make a startup work and are willing to do it?
Do they understand the unique challenges facing a startup and how to overcome them?
Can they make decisions in an expeditious manner and based on facts and not whims?
How do they solve problems, both engineering and with people?
Do they have business common sense?
Have they worked on a startup before, or have the personality to listen (and learn) how to do it from an expert?
That is just one part of the experience equation the investor evaluates. The entrepreneur has to present their case with actions, conduct, and personality to get the investor to buy into the fact that they are savvy.
